Here's a brief update on the CC / closed-captions subtitles for the deaf, and the lack of a pure subtitles track for the American DVD for "Innocence". Firstly, someone found a marketing company email address for Dreamworks PR: they're saying it's an issue of allowing those with non-CC compatible televisions to have access to the script. If true, it's the best display of a minority being given priority by "Hollywood" for some time. My guess is it's a "sweeping it under the carpet" explanation.
Elsewhere, someone has managed to contact those in charge of the disc more directly, and they seem adamant that it was a simple mistake and they will look into it. So, a little more successful, and not a sign that we will surely get a recall, but at least there at least seems some admission of a cock-up.
Other things: the debate over the size (too large!), and more importantly accuracy of the subtitles (some say it has been heavily dumbed down in comparison to the subtitles on the Cinema showings) continues to rage at the official site's own forum, as well as the English Production I.G. forum and numerous DVD forums too.
I've watched the disc now: stunning film, superb sound, amazing imagery, typically "Oshii-esque" story. I didn't find the CC subtitles too distracting, but I still want a decent subtitles track that's accurate, not too large or pushed into the image of the film.
Oh, and we haven't mentioned that atrocious cover art.
Why don't people demand their money back than instead of buying it and griping about it.
Oh that cover horrible! I unknowingly bought the Japanese version, which I was surprised to find didn't have English subtitles. Its a shame it wasn't subbed right from the start.
theres a good chance that if the japanese disc was to have been subbed, the subs would have been incredibly accurate : japanese with a better grasp of english than americans!?!?!
as far as getting a refund, its difficult to tell how easily this would happen...
I have seen a new edition of the disc which has standard english subtitles (without the action that describes sound effects to the hard-of-hearing). The subtitles are white, over picture, but not "dumbed-down" as far as I could tell. They were certainly a huge improvement on the translations on the Hong Kong DVD version.
I'm a huge GITS fan, the STAND ALONE COMPLEX TV series is a real achievement of futuristic storylines and predictive technology. I'm hugely disappointed that INNOCENCE hasn't been launched as a classic of GHOST IN THE SHELL or AKIRA standing, and dumped on the DVD market with an awful, awful, artless cover art - it's not even worthy of a child's comic book cover. Worse still the movie wasn't Oscar-nominated. Was it ever released theatrically in America? We're hoping for a cinema release in the UK later in 2005.